ANAHEIM-It wasn't the cleanest of results, but the Anaheim Splash held off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat the Sacramento Knights 29-27 in a Week 10 CIFL game and break a 7-game losing streak,
Anaheim started the game with a 6-play, 22-yard drive, ending with a 52-yard field goal by Butler Elliott to take a 3-0 lead with 12:30 to go in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Gross Ware fielded the kick and took off for a 95-yard touchdown return to give Sacramento a 7-3 lead with 12:15 left in the first. Following a Splash punt, the Knights drove 49 yards on 6 plays. Derrick Todd finished it off with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Chet Quince to put Sacramento up 14-3 with 8:02 to go in the first quarter.
From that point on, things would get a little sloppy. Anaheim would punt, then Jon Petrey recovered a Brett Gold fumble at the Knights 49-yard line. Elliott would line up for a 34-yard field goal, but it was blocked and he had to fall on it at the 26-yard line. Sacramento would march down the field, but Shane Sandlin had his 25-yard field goal attempt blocked by Coy Hickok. The Splash then went on a long drive of 54 yards on 22 plays. Elliott would kick a 40-yard field goal to make it 14-6 with 1:56 remaining in the second quarter. The Knights went three-and-out, and Buddy Farot returned the punt 38 yards to the Splash 28-yard line. Four plays later, Webb Cooper scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds to go in the half. The two-point conversion was no good, and the score was 14-12 at the half.
Sacramento punted to open the second half, and Anaheim would subsequently drive 82 yards on 4 plays. Harlan Finnegan completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Benny Gee to give the Splash a 19-14 lead with 10:42 to go in the third quarter. Following another Sacramento punt, Anaheim went on a 5-play, 25-yard drive ending with Elliott kicking a 46-yard field goal to make it 22-14 with 6:39 to go in the third.
The Knights would punt, and catch a break when Elrod Cupp recovered a Brett Fusco fumble at the Sacramento 46-yard line. But they couldn't take advantage and had to punt again. The Splash drove for a score to try to put the game on ice, but Miller Lockner picked off Finnegan and returned it 25 yards to the Knights 30-yard line. Sacramento would have to punt again, and Anaheim would drive 56 yards on 11 plays. Fusco scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to make it 29-14 with 5:58 left in the fourth quarter. The Knights would punt, but Rudolfo Voorhees botched the return and Liam Kelly fell on the ball for Sacramento at the 9-yard line. On the next play, Dennis Sentry, filling in for the injured Todd, threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Tibbs. Sandlin missed the extra point, and the Knights were down 29-20 with 3:54 remaining in the fourth. An onside kick failed, and Elliott would miss a 53-yard field goal attempt. Sacramento then drove 57 yards on 9 plays, and Sentry threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Herb Inman with 13 seconds remaining to make it 29-27. Once again, the Knights would attempt an onside kick, but could not recover.
Anaheim (2-7) gained 411 yards of total offense. The Splash ran for 171 yards on 46 carries. Fusco led the team with 69 yards on 19 carries and a TD. Finnegan was 17-of-31 passing for 270 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 30 yards. Gee was the leading receiver with 6 catches for 152 yards and a TD. The Splash visit the Detroit Neon next week.
Sacramento (2-7) gained 261 yards of total offense. The Knights ran for 54 yards on 14 carries. Bernest Herbert led the team with 23 yards on 5 carries. Todd was 10-of-12 passing for 105 yards and a TD. Sentry was 10-of-22 passing for 108 yards and 2 TD and was sacked once for a 6-yard loss. Inman was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 111 yards and a TD. The Knights visit the Houston Hotshots next week.
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